The Next Best Thing
by ofmakebelieve
Summary: Who cares for fairytales, anyway? Puck/Tina oneshot.


**The Next Best Thing**

**Disclaimer: **You know what I own? Barney slippers and a cardboard box. Yeah. I could never afford _Glee_, it's worth more than my mother effing life. Kaythanksbye.

**A/N: **FINALLY, I'VE GOTTEN TO WRITING SOME TUCKERINA. :] I worship this pairing. It's amazing. Just sayin'. So… Enjoy! :]

I sat down on the gray, cold, and slightly damp sidewalk, as my mind made its way through my life, processing every damn thing that had gone wrong.

_Artie. Artie. Artie. Artie. _

I never want to hear that name again. Not even in the wind's cold whisper, shall I stand to perceive the sound those two, little, Godforsaken syllables.

_I just wish he would go to hell._

Or maybe I should. I would fit in better there, and obviously, right now, I don't deserve life. Which is perfect, because I don't even want the one that I'm in.

_How could I have been so stupid?_

I had seen the glances, the "accidental" touches, the hushed conversations. _Obviously, he was going to fall for her._ Everyone has. She's Rachel fucking Berry, and no matter how many times she gets on her pity pot, she knows, just as well as everybody else, that all the guys are after her.

_But why did she have to pick mine?_

How could I have been this _unlucky?_ I've never done anything particularly wrong, or bad. I eat all my vegetables at dinner, I finish my homework before bedtime, I…

I'm a joke. A loser. A fucking pathetic excuse for a human being.

I want to get out of here. I need to get out of here.

_What am I doing?_

Crying? Thinking? Dreaming? Wishing?

I fell for it. I fell for him, and I shouldn't have. I should never have opened my heart to him, or anyone else, for that matter. The only thing that happens is the people I care about try pushing it further and further, until it cracks. Until it breaks.

This isn't me… How did I get here? This isn't who I am. I don't know this person. She can't be me, just somebody else who got lost, and was too lazy to find themselves. So they picked me.

They're the only one who ever has.

_(#!$%^&**&^%$!#) _

"Tina?" I hear a voice call. I slowly turn my head in its direction, to see the mohawked boy that I don't even _want _to know.

"I'm surprised you even know my name." I rolled my eyes as I stood up, hoping that my tears were unnoticeable, and I turned to face him.

He smirked. "I make it a habit to learn the names of all the hot chicks in school."

This earns him another eye roll. "And I suppose you're saying that because you want to have sex with me?"

"Maybe." He shrugs. "Maybe not. You'll have to stick around to find out."

I don't like the look he's giving me. It's too passionate, it's too genuine, it's too… real.

"What are you even doing here?" I ignore his comment, because I really don't want to start this right now. Why should I?

"Looking for you. Mercedes told me that you were all… sad and stuff."

"Bullshit. Like you care, Puckerman. All you want is sex, from every girl you meet. It's disgusting, and I for one, am not going to give into it. I find you unattractive, rude, and obnoxious." I'm already in some deep shit, how much worse could a few lies make it?

"You must be _really _upset." He smiles, a smug smile and steps closer to me. "Because I know for a fact that none of what you just said is true."

I shoot him my meanest glare. "And how is that?"

"Because… I know you." He replied, moving a step closer.

I shook my head, laughing bitterly. "You don't know the first thing."

"But I could learn."

And that's when my world came to a screeching halt.

_(#!$%^&**&^%$!#) _

I crossed my arms as Puck sat beside me in the choir room, which, I noted, brought various eyebrow-raises and awkward coughs from the other Glee members.

"Hey, babe." He said, grinning at me softly, if it's possible for a grin to be soft.

"I'm not your babe." I rolled my eyes and scooted my chair as far away from him as possible.

He only scooted closer.

"You could be." He said lowly, as if it was a big secret, and the world would end if anyone but me knew.

"I don't want to be."

"Oh, but you do."

"And what makes you so sure?" I burst out, louder than intended, as I turn to him.

"Your eyes." He says softly, as he pushes my hair out of my face. "Your smile. _You._"

I wondered if this was really happening, because it scared me how much I wanted it to.

"That's not true." I said, because pushing people away is really what I do best.

_(#!$%^&**&^%$!#) _

"Hang out with me on Friday." He said as he walked up to my locker.

"Is that an offer, or a command?" I ask as I slam the door shut. Although I would never admit it, I'm beginning to enjoy his company.

"A little bit of both." He smirks. "Come on, it'll be fun." He lightly put his arm around my waist and turned me, so that I was facing him. I stared into his eyes, getting as lost as I had always wanted to be.

"Yes." I said without thinking enough. Or maybe thinking too much, I would never know.

"Good." He sounded as if he almost couldn't believe it himself as he kissed my forehead, making my stomach do a full on flip inside of me.

And then he walked away. Just like that.

What the hell?

_(#!$%^&**&^%$!#) _

It's Friday night, I'm all dressed up, and I have no idea where I'm supposed to go… Totally, normal right?

No. I feel like a loser, sitting here, wondering why I didn't ask Puck where the hell we were going, and if I should meet him there, or go to his house, or…

The doorbell rang, it's high pitched ding piercing its way through my ears.

"It's open!" I yell wearily, expecting it to be the pizza guy, or some little kid selling Girl Scout cookies.

It wasn't. It was Noah freaking Puckerman, dressed too casual for words, carrying what looks like a black rose.

"That is just like you, Stutterfly. Too lazy to open the door. I love it." He kissed my cheek as he handed me the rose.

I looked at it, raising my eyebrows, trying not to let him know how confused I was.

"I thought you'd like it more." He nodded. "Than , you know, a red one. It seemed more… you. I bought it at some gothic shop… Hot Topic, I think it was? I dunno, I was just thinking that… Oh, God, I probably sound like an idiot. I'mma stop talking now." He awkwardly looked at me as the widest smile in the history of ever spread itself across my face.

"I love it." I replied, and I got up to hug him. As I pulled away, I looked into his eyes, and he looked back into mine, and for a moment, something of an understanding passed through our eyes.

I loved Artie, but I was willing to settle for the next best thing.

Who cares for fairytales, anyway?

_(#!$%^&**&^%$!#) _

"So…You're saying… We throw the eggs at the teachers' cars…Together?" My eyes widened as I looked down at the egg carton we had just bought.

"You got it." He smiled as he grabbed one, and launched it across the parking lot, hitting Sue's car, spot on.

"Is it weird that Sandy and Sue are the only ones here right now? At midnight?" I asked as I grabbed an egg and threw it.

"Oh, God, Tina, you've put thoughts into my mind… That will _never_ get out. Geez, thanks." He glared at me playfully. "Oh, and nice throw."

"Thanks. I've had a lot of practice." I smiled flirtatiously at him.

"Oh, have you?" He laughed as he looked at me.

"Mhm." I responded as I threw another, and just at that moment, we saw a messy haired Sue Sylvester walk out of the school building.

"Oh, shit." I said, and before I knew what was happening, Puck pulled me in for a kiss, and once again, my world decided to stop.

I pulled away after a moment. "What was that for?" I asked.

"Maybe I didn't want Sue to catch us… Or, maybe I just wanted to kiss you ."

My heart skipped a beat. "Wh-what?"

"You heard me." And he leaned in to do it again.

Who said anything was wrong with settling for the next best thing?

**A/N: So there… Ha, I have a headache and I swear I'm high off sugar right now, so sorry for any mistakes. Review? Please? What did ya'll think? :O **

**emaleelilac**


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